Richard Roberts

After High school I spent four years serving my country in the US Navy, where I was stationed in Tennessee, California, and Florida. A few port of calls included Perth Australia, Naples Italy, Rome Italy, Island of Crete Greece, Port Louis Maruritius(500 miles east of Madagascar)

After the Navy I came back to Hutchinson and attended HCC for a year then transferred to KU and graduated with Business Administration Degree. While I was attending HCC I reunited with my sweetheart from High School, Kay Lynn Wilson class of 1980. We were married in Hutchinson in 1984 and resided in Overland Park, KS. We were blessed with three beautiful children. Our life together was complete as our faith in Jesus Christ was the center of our life.

Then four and half years ago January 2004 Kay found out she had Breast Cancer…we were crushed emotionally; Kay was afraid, all I could think of was that this can’t be happening to us…this happens to other people; not us! There was but one choice for us; that we were to trust the Lord and give it all to him; he would carry us through this valley.

Kay was so courageous through all of the chemotherapy treatments, doctor’s appointments, and surgeries. We thought our prayers were answered when the doctor declared her clear of cancer in the fall 2004. We praised God for this miracle…because it truly was a miracle! But, eight months later July 2005 our faith again was tested when Kay found out that the cancer metastasized in her lymph nodes. We faithfully trusted our God depending on him daily for everything in our lives. Our relationship together became so important every day was a gift from our Lord.

Then on March 14th 2006 Kay was called home to heaven with Jesus. My greatest hour with her was when I was by her bed just before she died. I prayed with her and read Psalm 23 just as Jesus took her to heaven. Kay new home is in heaven where she has a new body and no disease and no pain. What a privilege I was given to be her Husband and life partner. I look forward to the day we are reunited in heaven.

Since Kay’s passing I have continued to raise our children…They are the best kids any Dad could have. I have been blessed to have had Kay’s mom Zoe and step dad Don there to help me. Yes, it has been a difficult road since Kay’s passing. But this is life; every one of us will have trials as we navigate through this world. It is how we get through these tough times that shapes us after the dust settles; for me it was my faith in Christ that has carried me through this time; and has made me better than before I began.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the reunion!

Blessings
Richard
Eph 1:3

Mrs. Peel’s Class – A few of us played an April Fools joke on her where we exchanged her desk for a student’s desk. She just rolled her eyes and told us that she would expect to see her desk when she returned. She was such a good sport! For those of you that were there, did you know that “Whitey” was watching the whole thing from the gym?

Band days in HS were always filled with camaraderie and adventure, especially Drum line antics; chime in anytime Dan, Everette, Eric, Ron, Dean, and Tammy… my fellow drummers. I can remember one morning while practicing...well really not practicing where we were playing football on the Jr. High field beside the marching field. Swiggart caught site of our little game and started over across the marching field to have our tails. By the time he got there we hid the football in a Base drum and started practicing like nothing happened… Swiggart could not find the evidence. I also remember sprinting across the practice field with marching tympani. Oh did you know that the 3 laws of physics also apply to moving tympani especially when the front leg is stuck into the ground and you find yourself in a head over heels spin at full gallop. And of course the all famous and humiliating "sickings".

Lunch room utensils’ mysteriously changing shape; “Dragging Main”; I remember playing Waymore’s Blues by Waylon Jennings Over and over so we didn’t have to listen to “Smoke on the Water”